IB50K

IB50K is Instituto Balseiro's annual business-plan competition for technology-based startup teams in Argentina. The institute operates through its Innovation and Linkage Department, and the competition is now in its 16th edition. It is anchored in the university-and-research ecosystem that surrounds Instituto Balseiro, so it sits closer to a science-driven venture prize than to a standard public grant. Each edition distributes more than USD 50,000 across the top three teams, with the prize split roughly 60/30/10, or about USD 30,000, USD 15,000, and USD 5,000. The field is broad but still technical: biotechnology, AI, healthcare, climate, energy, robotics, telecommunications, IT, and related science and technology areas. Eligibility requires teams made up of at least 50% people under 40 who are students or graduates of Argentine tertiary institutions, with an Argentine project base. The prize is strongest for teams that can explain both technical novelty and a real business opportunity, because the evaluation criteria include originality, team quality, maturity, and triple impact. Sponsor support has come from names such as INVAP, Siemens Energy, Grupo Techint, Pan American Energy, Banco Santander, and Telefónica Wayra, which helps explain the program's strong industrial orientation. Teams that pair hard science with a sharp path to users are the ones most likely to fit the route.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.